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Published: April 11th 2007
The old town of Sighnaghi is being torn apart at the moment apparently they are trying to beautify the city and all the fascade, streets and buildings are being remodelled all at the same time, it looks like a war torn village at the moment but it would be interesting to see how it looks like in a couple years from now. We met an American who lives here and shows us a bit of the town and the carpets and paintings in their collection, there was also some TV reporter on sight and Chris gets to be interviewed for his 15 minute of fame. The lunch we had at a Mexican restaurant Pancho Villa was very good, it's quite unusual experience to have a Mexican in the middle of Georgia. We had a couple hours more drive to our 2 nights homestay in Telavi and when we got there we got split into 2 groups, , my group have to walk far to get to the house, we had a big living room turned bedroom for just me and Geoff, and a Grand piano as well.
We went to the other homestay for dinner which started pretty
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A TRADITIONAL CARPET MADE BY LOCAL FOLKSmeek until the cha cha was poured and people started getting drunk and stupid. It got a bit out of hand and it the night ended up with one person having a wound gash in his scalp, Noel, one of the Doctors in our group have to give him 5 stitches and Chris and I assisted as a nurse and I was a bit nervous my legs were shaking, i haven't done this type of procedure since my internship years ago, but all went well and our patient is on his way to recovery, I had the good sense not to try the wicked cha cha drink so popular here in Georgia, it looks like water but is at least 50% proof. We then walked home almost midnight in the pouring rain and had to borrow rainwear from Clive and Chris, the next day we did more tourist stuff, one monastery after another and the wine tasting at this place i can't remember, but the facility was impressive to say the least free copious wines to taste and food! Then head off to town for some lunch then had a look around, tomorrow we are off to Azerbaijan.
Since we will be camping for the first time in Azerbaijan we stopped at the local market and the 2 cooking groups went away to do some shopping at the local market, it was very interesting, the locals love having their photo taken they are very friendly and everything is so cheap, we also stock up on booze, I planned on making Adobo dish but I cannot find a soy sauce anywhere it seems like they don't sell it here, So at the last minute I have to change our menu and hopefully it will be a success.
TELAVI:
(Georgian: თელავი) is the main city and administrative center of Georgia's eastern province of Kakheti. Its population consists of some 28.000 inhabitants. The city is located on foot-hills Tsiv-Gombori Range on the height of 850m above the sea level. First archeological findings from Telavi date back from bronze age. According to historical data, one of the first accounts of Telavi was documented in the 2nd century AD, by Greek geographer Ptolemeus, who mentions the name Teleda (a reference to Telavi). Telavi began to transform into a fairly important and large political and administrative center in the 8th century,
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MONASTERY AD. Interesting information on Telavi is provided in the records by an Arab geographer Al Mukadis of the 10th century, who mentions Telavi along with such important cities of that time's Caucasus as Tbilisi, Shamkhor, Ganja, Shemakha and Shirvan. Speaking about the population of Telavi, Al Mukamdis points out that for the most part is consisted of Christians.
From the 10th until the 12th century (AD), Telavi served as the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti. During the so called Golden Era of the Georgian State (12-13th centuries), Telavi turned into one of the most important political and economic centers of the Georgian State . After the disintegration of the united Georgian Kingdom in the 15th century, the role of Telavi started to decline and the city eventually became an ordinary town of trade and crafts. Telavi re-gained its political importance in the 17th century and by 1762, it turned into the second capital (after Tbilisi) of the united Eastern Georgian Kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti. The reign of King Erekle II was a special epoch in the history of Telavi. during this period (1744-1798) it grew into a strategic and cultural centre. Irakli II set up the second, after Tbilisi,
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MONASTERY capital of Kartl-Kakheti kingdom in Telavi, established ecclesiastical seminary, founded theatre there. The name of Irakli II is associated with actions aimed at national liberation and unification of Georgia. Since his life to the cause of physical survival of the Georgian people. King Erekle II's reforms touched upon all the aspects of life in the country. they changed fundamentally the political, economical and cultural orientation of Kartli-Kakheti and, subsequently of the whole Georgia. His name became a symbol of freedom and national independence of the Georgian people. They still call him affectionately “Patara Kakhi” (Little Kakhetian). Hist heroic deeds are described in the folk literature.
In 1801, after the Kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti was annexed by the Russian Empire, Telavi lost its status as a capital. In the 19th century, the city was given the status of an administrative center of a small, geographical sub-unit of the Russian Empire within the Tbilisi Gubernyia. During that period, the economy of the city was mainly composed of small-scale industries (leather painting, pottery production, wine-making, etc.), commerce and agriculture.
The Alazani River Plain, with the Caucasus Mountains in the background, view from TelaviAt present, the city of Telavi is connected with
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ENTRY TO THE MONASTERY Tbilisi by two highways. The most widely travelled (and better-paved) highway runs through the rural areas of Kakheti and is longer (the overall length of the highway is approximately 156 km) than the route, which runs through the highlands of the Gombori Mountain Range. The shorter route (approx. 96 km) is quite scenic, but is less exploited due to the reconstruction works that are being carried out on the higway.
Telavi and its surroundings are rich in historical, architectural and natural monuments. Important heritage monuments preserved within the city limits include: "Dzveli Galavani" (old walls) - fortress of the first Kakhetian kings (9-10th centuries, AD); Church of the St. Mary (16th century, AD); Church of the Holy Trinity (6th century, AD); Fortress "Batonis Tsikhe" (fortress of master) built in 17th century, AD - this is the only, well-preserved medieval royal palaces in Georgia; "Korchibashishvilebis Tsikhe" - castle of local noblemen Korchibashishvilis (16-18th centurty, AD); "Vakhvakhishvilebis Tsikhe" - castle of local noblemen Vakhvakhishvilis (18th centurty, AD). Telavi is the only city in Goergia, where 4 fortification monuments of different periods are remained. Due to this reason, architects, scholars and art historians consider Telavi as the most "medieval" cities in the
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UNDER MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION country. Another curious sight Telavi, an 900-years-old sycamore (45 m high, 12.4 m around the trunk). Other notable landmarks around Telavi include the Alaverdi Cathedral (11th century, AD) - the second highest cathedral in Georgia after the newly built Sameba (the Holy Trinity in Tbilisi), the Ikalto Academy (8-12th centuries, AD) - location, where the famous Georgian writer Shota Rustaveli studied), the Church of St. George (dedicated to the patron saint of Georgia; it is said that in Georgia there are 365 churches in the name of St. George), ruins of the city and castle of Gremi (the former capital of Kakheti from the 15-17th centuries, AD), Shuamta - a complex made up of three churches of different periods - 6th, 7th and 8th centuries in a highland forest, Akhali Shuamta ("New Shuamta" in English) - the monastery close to Dzveli Shuamta ("Old Shuamta" in English), built in the 16th century, the stunning Tsinandali Gardens (the residential Palace of Noblemen Chavchavadzes family) and many others.
The lanscape of Telavi is scenic. The city is wrapped in picturesque landscapes from all sides. Telavi faces the Tsiv-Gombori Range to the south and south-west and borders on the Alazani Valley to the
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UNDER MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION north and east. The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range, which runs to the north of the Alazani Valley, can be seen from most of Telavi.
Because of its beauty, historical monuments and and most importantly, the hospitality and kindness of its residents, the city is a fairly popular tourist destination in Georgia.
SIGHNAGHI:
(Signagi) (Georgian: სიღნაღი) is a town in Georgia’s easternmost region of Kakheti and the administrative center of the Sighnaghi District. It is the country’s one of the smallest towns with a population of 2,146 as of the 2002 census. Sighnaghi's economy is dominated by production of wine and traditional carpets. The town is also known for its landscapes and historical monuments and is projected to become one of the centres of Georgia's tourist industry.
History
The territory of the modern-day town has been settled since Paleolithic period and had been known as Hereti in Middle Ages and as Kiziqi since the 15th century. Sighnaghi (literally meaning "a harbor" in Turkish) as a settlement is first recorded in the early 18th century. In 1762, Heraclius II of Georgia sponsored the construction of the town and erected a fortress to defend
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CHRIS AND HIS 15 MINUTES OF FAME the area from the marauding attacks by Dagestan tribesmen. As of the 1770 census, Sighnaghi was settled by 100 families, chiefly by craftsmen and merchants. When Georgia was annexed by Imperial Russia in 1801, Sighnaghi was officially granted the town’s status and became a centre of Sighnakh uyezd (Russian: Сигнахский уезд) within Tiflis Governorate in 1802. The town quickly rose in its size and population and became an agricultural centre under the Soviet Union. A severe economic crisis in post-Soviet Georgia heavily affected the town, but a major reconstruction project recently launched by the Government of Georgia and co-funded by several international organizations intends to address an increasing tourist interest and modernize infrastructure.
Geography and climate
The town has an area of 297.8 hectares with 24.3 per cent being residential. Sighnaghi is approximately 113 km southeast of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Sighnaghi District is adjacent, on the town’s east and southwest sides. Sighnaghi is situated on the eastern foothills of the Gombori Range, a watershed between the Iori and Alazani valleys, in a productive agricultural and fruit-growing region. At the elevation of about 790 m above seal level, the town overlooks the Alazani Valley and faces the
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THE ANCIENT WALL SURROUNDING SIGHNAGHI Greater Caucasus mountains.
Sighnaghi has a mild humid climate. There are four seasons, with winters being moderately cold while summers can be hot. The highest average temperature is in July at 24.3 °C while the lowest average temperature is in January at 0.2 °C. Average annual precipitation ranges from 602.1 to 949.7 mm, with the heaviest occurring during the spring months and early summer.
INFO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
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Connie
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Sighnaghi now finished
Just returned from a visit to Sighnaghi, it's now finished and one of the prettiest cities I've ever seen. Will post a blog on it shortly under ConnieF.